We are entering the final laps of the Conservative leadership race, but neither candidate is filling voters with much confidence. Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor who would cut taxes and curb public spending if only he could, has the inconvenient baggage of his partygate fine to deal with. Liz “Just Call Me Thatcher” Truss, on the other hand, is seen as less Iron Lady, more, well, silly.
Online search results illustrate this nicely. Google “Rishi Sunak silly” and you will find a plethora of articles quoting him as saying it would be “silly” to help families with bills during the cost-of-living crisis. Google “Liz Truss silly” and you get articles glorifying her “finest moments” and alleging her lack of intelligence. A comparison of search trends regarding Sunak and Truss reveals our general attitudes towards them. Given that Truss happens to be a woman, it also begs the question: do we think Liz Truss is silly because we are…
